1) Fetal pupillary deameters were statistically differ-entiated into two groups : 9.7% for dilated pupil and 90.3% for constricted pupil (1.7mm). The percentage of dilated pupil during the eye movement (EM) period (14.3%) was significantly greater than that during no eye movement (NEM) period (2.3%), thereby indicating a close relation between pupillary dilatation and eye movement periods in the human term fetus.2) From an analysis of time lag between the onset of the EM period and the first micturition thereafter, 72% of all micturitions occurred within 8 min, after the onset of the EM perod in the fetuses at 37 weeks on-wards. This indicates a temporal relationship between the onset of the EM period and the first micturition thereafter.3) Two statistically critical points for the duration of the EM period were noted at 29-30 and 37-38 weeks' gestation, whereas for the duration of the NEM period, 2 critical points were again found at 31-32 and 37-38 weeks' gestation. These findings su
… Moreggest that two separate mechanisms exist, one for maintaining the duration of the EM period and another for maintaining the duration of the NEM period. Both switching and maintaining mechanisms respinsible for ultradian thythm of EM and NEM periods have matured at term.4) We examined whether fetal behavioral patterns could be usued to localize sites of brain damage antenatally. Decreased fetal mobement, persistent non-reactive fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern, and/or central nervous system malformation were usued as indicators of possible neuro-logical impairment. 10 fetuses with the above mentioned criteria underwent further ultrasound examination ob-seuving movement of the extremities, breathing, eye and mouth and active/quiet FHR patterns. 8 of these ten fetuses were found, on postnatal examination, to have a brain impairment. the fetuses having potential inutero brain impairment were grouped into four : cases with (1) lesion sites at, or caudal to, the pons-medulla which were specifically identified by fetal behavior, (2) diffuse lesions in the brain which, although resulting in abnormal behavior, could not be localized by this behabior, (3) lesions localized in the cerebral hemi-sphere (s) but no abnormal behavior, and (4) temporally abnormal behavior in utero, finally changing over to a normal pattern with no neonatal neurologic abnormality. A screening system for the antenatal assessment of brain impairment is thus proposed. Less